Systems and methods to detect and react to objects in proximity to power systems
AssigneeAvista Corporation
InventorGreg Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and techniques are disclosed that monitor an area adjacent to power system components and detect objects that may pose a probable risk of causing a fault, for example, making contact with the power system component. Various embodiments initiate a preventative, a corrective, and/or a mitigative action in advance of the fault. Examples of possible actions include, but are not limited to, an audible alert, a visual alert, a tactile alert, a remote notification, a limiting of machinery motion, a stopping of machinery motion, a reversing of machinery motion, de-energization of the power system component, or combinations thereof.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- identifying a zone of interest that includes at least a portion of a power system component;
- receiving one or more signals from a sensor monitoring the zone of interest;
- determining, based at least in part on the one or more signals, that an object is within the zone of interest;
- determining, based at least in part on the one or more signals, one or more characteristics of the object, the one or more characteristics including a size of the object;
- determining a threshold distance associated with at least one of the object or the power system component;
- determining that the object is within the threshold distance;
- and
- causing, based at least in part on the one or more characteristics and the object being within the threshold distance, an action to be performed.
A system comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
- receiving one or more sensor signals associated with a zone of interest adjacent to a power system component;
- determining, based at least in part on the one or more sensor signals, a first location of an object within the zone of interest;
- determining, based at least in part on the one or more sensor signals, a second location of the power system component;
- determining one or more characteristics associated with the object;
- determining criteria associated with causing an action to be performed, the action being associated with the power system component;
- determining that the one or more characteristics satisfy the criteria;
- and
- causing, based at least in part on the one or more characteristics satisfying the criteria, the first location, and the second location, the action to be performed.
A method comprising:
- determining a zone of interest adjacent to a power system component;
- determining that a first object is within the zone of interest;
- determining one or more first characteristics associated with the first object;
- determining criteria that causes an action to be performed associated with the power system component;
- determining that the one or more first characteristics satisfy the criteria;
- causing, based at least in part on the one or more first characteristics satisfying the criteria, the action to be performed at a first instance in time;
- determining that a second object is within the zone of interest;
- determining one or more second characteristics associated with the second object;
- determining that the one or more second characteristics fail to satisfy the criteria;
- and
- refraining, based at least in part on the one or more second characteristics failing to satisfy the criteria, from causing the action to be performed at a second instance in time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.